"whats wrong?" Val asked, noticing his sudden stress.
"they know we're here." Blake spoke with inner dread rising. Rushing over to peek between the window curtains. Seeing many in swat gear swarming around the hotel.
"fuck, fuck, fuck!" Blake breathed, panicking on what to do. Val remained seated. She was just as aware of the situation from Blakes expressions.
"maybe we could go through the bathroom window?!" he whispered.
"there is none." Val stated, remaining calm. The two standing silently at the sound of a knock at the door.
"... go hide." he mouthed to Val.
"i cant leave you to them." she whispered.
"please." he mouthed again, desperately trying to shoo her away to hide. She looked at him sadly before going off with all the food and supplies to hide in a closet. He waited till she was fully hidden to slowly open the door.
Seeing a man standing there in a full black suit with dark rimmed glasses. The man wasint very bulky with a thin tall figure. Being the same age, if not younger, then Blake. Behind him were two long walls of huge swat men leading up to the back of an Armored vehicle.
"Blake Langermann?" the man asked again, the same voice from the phone.
"...yes." Blake mumbled sadly.
"i am FBI agent James Cale. We're here to transport you." the man said, holding a ID up for Blake to study. Despite wanting to contact the FBI he never did. Them racing to his doorstep with armed men being a screaming red flag to him. What if this was a Murkoff trick? What would be the point though, since shooting him now would mean less steps.
"uhh … okay." he said, carefully stepping out. Slowly closing the door behind him.
"we know there are two of you." the man stated before Blake could fully close the door. Blake swallowed nervously, really not wanting to get Val involved. Especially if this was a trap, but they could just beat the door down to grab her.
"shes … not good around strangers. … especially armed ones." Blake stated slowly, standing in front of the small amount of open door.
"understood. we'll try to make you some room, but we cant spread the wall too much or it would hinder both your safety." the man dipped his head down. Blake slipping back inside to fetch Val. Running over to carefully open her closet in case she had a weapon ready.
"Val, i think its the FBI." he told her.
"you sure?" she asked.
"they didint barge in and shoot us down." Blake shrugged. Taking Vals hand tightly to lead her out. The two walking closely together out the door. Blake no longer seeing the FBI agent James. The space between the line of guards was opened by a couple feet on each side. All of their backs facing toward the two.
Cautiously walking down the aisle of guards to the truck. Seeing James sitting at the very back on one side. Slowly the two stepped up into it to sit down at the far back opposite to James. Once seated, two guards hopped in to sit at the very front by the doors. Two other guards shutting the double doors from the outside.
"... where are we going now?" Blake asked hesitantly.
"a safe house, where you can rest safely. We also need to debrief you on how much you know." James answered.
"how'd you know about us?" Blake questioned.
"we've recently started investigating some activity from Murkoff around here. We were slow to act as we wanted to surprise the remaining Murkoff owner. However she got passed us along with much of the facility information. We swarmed the labs and Templegate, managing to arrest many of the remaining workers packing.
Some of them mentioned you two as they were questioned. A while later some of our watchers saw you two pop out of the woods. Sounded like Murkoff wanted you two really dead." James answered, showing a picture of Zandra.
"we had a run in with her." Blake spoke down at the image in his hands. Val flinching as the van started up. Having everyone else tense at her reaction.
"any idea where she went? We've been on her heels forever, but never managing to catch up." James asked curiously.
"no, sorry." Blake answered sadly, handing back the photo.
"i don't think it'll help, but I got this journal from the Templegate leader when Murkoffs experiment was going. Its been ruined by water though." Blake said, handing the agent knoths journal. Trying to calm Val slightly after the journal was taken. Blake growing nervous as guards looked in her direction and looking ready to react.
"we mite have something that can pick up the pen indents despite the smearing. Not all of it mite be savable, but maybe it'll piece together a bit of Murkoffs ideals here." James spoke, flipping a little through the book before slipping it in a tightly sealed bag. Marking the bag with numbers using a black sharpie.
"... is she okay?" James asked at the sight of Val.
"shes ... from Templegate, ... like actually lived there for her whole life. Shes very unused to motor vehicles aside from farm tractors. This is actually her second car ride in history." Blake admitted. He wasint sure if it was best for them to know that she was an experiment. However he knew they couldn't introduce her into society without higher help in the system. Explaining why she was acting so twitchy would make her less likely to be surrounded by armed guards.
"oh, does she have any experience out of Templegate?" James asked, both interested and concerned.
"no, a small taxi ride and a cheese burger was pretty much it. I am absolutely sure she doesn't have basic records like a birth certificate. That's why i am even telling you this." Blake spoke.
"hmm, ill let staff know. Processing her into modern society is going to take a major rehabilitation schedule. Think she'll do well for a physical? We will have to take blood, finger prints, and other identifying marks for a proper certification." James asked.
"as long as i am there, maybe. She really hasint had a good record with others." Blake said, pressing on the fact of him being there for the testing.
"can she talk, or read and write at all?" James asked.
"yes, she can do all of that pretty well. Just not now while we're in the car." Blake answered, trying to calm Val down a bit more. Her breathing getting greatly uneven.
"at least that gives us a pretty head start on communication ability. We've had to do many rehabilitation of all kinds. The ones that lack a voice or basic reading skills are the hardest. Murkoff has caused the most of worse cases coming in." James said sadly about the situation.
"did you guys help with Eddie Gluskin's rehabilitation?" Blake asked curiously.
"oh yes, and Waylons. One needed drastic rehabilitation for society and both for medical. I assume you were all over reading about the cases of those two." James smiled slightly.
"iam a reporter, that was the biggest news anyone's every gotten on TV before. Especially all the court cases after." Blake smiled back.
"the one good thing about all this is the governments got a good rehabilitation system made by now. I am going to give you two, very important, cards that you must keep at all times. These are temporary and should be replaced later after your settled with more secure cards. These will be like IDs that make sure you two wont be separated." James said, tapping the metal wall next to them. A small bin unlocking to open up with a key board and a mini printer beside it. James grabbing two white pieces of thick cardboard, slipping them into the printer. Typing some thing down onto the small printer screen.
"whats her name?" James asked.
"val, no last name that i am aware of." Blake answered.
"can she borrow your last name? Its easier for record keeping." James asked.
"uh, yeah." Blake answered, feeling strange that a person he wasint married to having his last name.
James typing in a bit more. Pressing a final button before the two cardboard pieces printed out fully laminated with a bar code, a line of blue coloring with basic information about the twos looks.
"do not lose these. It'll be a lot of paper work to replace. The more official cards will contain much more data like her rehabilitation schedule, Medical info, etc. I assume your close, but I don't know if you'll like to be in charge of her. We can have someone else hold her personal records if you don't-." James offered, handing the cards over.
"no, I want to be involved with everything." Blake interrupted while taking the cards. Wanting to make sure his stance was clear.
" will you be with us when we stop?" Blake asked, growing nervous at all the new info.
"only to inform you on where to go and whats going to happen. I have a really important meeting about this to higher ups. Digging up Murkoff facility's is extremely important to us. If we keep this up Murkoff mite not have any facility's in the USA soon." James smiled.
The two talked for quite a long time. Going over what Blake needed to do once they reached the facility. The armored vehicle driving through a heavily gated area into a guarded garage where they were dropped off. Val leaping out as soon as the guards moved. Breathing in large amounts of air as she calmed down. Blake standing by for her to catch her breath.
"follow me, ill get you set at the front desk." James smiled, walking slow as Val was still calming down from the ride.
"they'll set you both up for a full medical examine. Any concerns or old injury's please tell the doctors about them. After medical they'll assign you proper cards, room and boarding. that only you two will share. That should be it for today. Tomorrow someone will drop by to help you further." James explained as he brought them to the window. Giving a few instructions to the worker there. Handing off the bagged journal to an archiver.
"thank you." Blake smiled to him. Starting the process they had to go through. The medical examine giving them properly updated medication for any disease exposure. Wounds were cleaned, bandages set, in the end Blake felt better then he had in a long while. Things were looking up for them both.
4 months later
somewhere far off in a different state. Were two, 2 story white houses in the middle of the golden grass country. Empty hills as far as the eye can see and one long dirt road the two houses shared. The two houses having a good space of 6 blocks away from each other. One being at the very end of the shared dirt road and the other being closer to the main tar road.
The sun shone through the windows to blare down on the sleeping form in bed.
"uugh." Waylon groaned as the sun burned his tightly shutting eyes. Stretching in bed before groggily getting up to dress in new clothes. Heading through a side door way into an office like area with a computer, cabinets filled with files and sticky notes on a white board with messy writing all over. After booting his computer he looked to one wall covered in strange objects.
A broken mask with old blood stains remaining of what was left of john Barker. Multiple letters from Beth on how well her family was doing since their separation from the FBI quarters. His sons report cards, and just bills.
after him and Eddie escaped mount massive, the apple town, managed to reach FBI, avoided Eddie going to jail after all those court hearings, and entered their protection things had been going well. Waylon got back into security coding, using a different name of course. Making good money enough to afford what was needed to live comfortably. He headed down the stairs, passing Eddie cooking in the kitchen.
"morning darling." Eddie happily spoke, getting a half awake mumble back from Waylon. Which was the normal response. He was never a morning person and Eddie was always the early riser of the family. Waylon walked down the little stone path to their mail box. Collecting the days mail before heading back inside.
"what did we get? Eddie asked as he set a plate of breakfast down.
"another letter from Beth. Bills and the usual 20 letters from news reporters." Waylon said, looking through the thick stack. Spam or letters from the news stations were immediately trashed.
"you think after not answering them for 3 years they'd stop." Waylon spoke as he opened bills first.
"they certainly didint stop at first when we had that FBI sniper in our yard." Eddie chuckled as he sat down with his own breakfast.
"that whole situation was just awful, cant believe it got so bad." Waylon muttered as he ate some bacon.
"they really wanted pictures of our wedding. I cant blame them for trying." Eddie spoke before eating a bite of pancake.
"cant get good pictures while pretending to be an empty cardboard box. Glad that agent kicked him in the face when he found him. You got Noah up for the bus right?" Waylon asked, realizing it was way past the school pick up time.
"yes, don't worry love." Eddie nodded.
"crap, I still need to tell artisan about the parent conference at school in a few days. Keep forgetting about that." Waylon growled at himself.
"it is almost afternoon, hes probably awake by now if you want to go talk." Eddie spoke, taking another bite of food.
"after breakfast, before I start on work." Waylon answered, eating some food. Feeling grateful that artisan adopted his son. It definitely prevented his son from getting harassed for interviews since artisan wasint connected to them. Most just saw him as the old neighbor caring for his grandson, while just so happening to live next to crazy famous people.
Also prevented teachers from jumping down Waylon and Eddies throats on how "unstable" the two were to be caring for a kid. Eddie especially would be a target of aggression at parent teacher meetings. Most didint want to get involved with him, while others tossed accusations for 15 minutes of fame. Any slight movement toward them would have caused all sorts of hysteria about how he tried to "murder" them.
Adding onto that pile was all the massive scaring they bared. Looked as if they were tossed through world war 3. Waylon had metal rods for half a rib cage. A pale patch on his face from where it was skinned and replaced at a hospital. Smaller or larger scars from grenade shrapnel a Murkoff employee threw at him. Knife wounds from self mutilation during his Murkoff engine panic attacks.
Eddie being just as bad. Old wobbly scars on half his face from testing, other side having that large L scar. A massive scar going along to over his spine from scraping a sharp river rock. Two circular scars from his impalement. A thick long line in the middle of his stomach from when Barker stabbed a ton sword through his gut that took a bulldozer to remove.
And both having multiple bullet wounds here and there. The massive governmental FBI therapy helped wound recovery. Especially with Eddies rebuilt stomach system needing a strict diet.
Very rarely did the two go out, especially not Eddie. Many were aware of his famous background and Waylon didint want to risk Eddie being accused of something vile for some asshole to get famous on the news. Waylon went to only get basic needs such as grocery's. For most other things artisan was happy to go for them. Which Waylon greatly appeared as one less stressful thing.
Waylon was still incredibly paranoid of people. Anxiety making him confuse faces for Murkoff workers he used to know. Therapy helped him cope better, but still not entirely. It greatly helped Eddie on the other hand. He grew less aggressive about many subjects and got help for his old family PTSD.
"FBI is here." Eddie spoke seriously. Seeing the recognizable armored van pull up. Making both tense at the sudden visit after a few years had passed without them. Deep inside they were also paranoid of it being Murkoff, although they havint dealt with those monsters since their escape.
It parked in front of their house. A knock soon being heard at the front door.
"ill get it." Waylon sighed as he stood from the table. Walking over to a speaker intercom by the multiple lock covered door.
"what?" Waylon asked a little aggravated.
"agent James Cale. We need to sit down for a serious talk Mr. park." James spoke, holding up his badge to a security camera outside the door. Waylon didint answer at first while studying the badge thoroughly. Grumbling as he slowly unlocked the door.
"come in." he said neutrally. He always hated the FBI visits when they happened. They always carried bad news with them it seemed.
"thank you." James spoke as he followed behind to the living room. Waylon sitting tensely on the couch opposite to the one James sat on. Already feeling emotionally tired from thinking what the news was.
"FBI has a proposal for you. We want you to join a team to infiltrate a Murkoff facility." James spoke as clearly as he could. Getting a wide eyed expression of surprise from Waylon.
"WHAT?!" Waylon shouted. Getting the attention from Eddie in the nearby room. Which the agent didint want to start out with. Sure, Eddie was less aggressive toward strangers, but as soon as Waylon didint like them, he certainly didint either.
"easy, let me finish. Please, just let me get it out." James begged, already becoming nervous under Eddies death gaze from the other room. Swallowing at Waylons own death gaze on him as well.
"a little while ago we raided another Murkoff facility in an attempt to capture the remaining owner. You know how long we've been after her. We feel with all your knowledge from working under and facing Murkoff, you can lead a team to capture her. Together, of course." he blurted the very last bit to keep Eddie pacified on possible thoughts of separation.
"look, we barely got away the first two times. When I hacked Murkoff, they caught me. What makes you think we can lead a team?" Waylon stated, already feeling half done on this conversation.
"you were caught, yes, but you actually hacked them. And still manage to hack them for us when we ask you to. Nobody on this case knows as much as you two do about Murkoff. About their facility's, records, the experiments they do. You had a massive inside experience that we cant get anywhere else. All others are too damaged to help or are found in a body ditch.
We have been setting up a team for a while now. Despite your answer the task is going to work. I want to mention that there are two specific people on the team. With very similar cases like yours. Both were trapped in a massive Murkoff experiment. One was a healthy outsider, the other was an extremely aggressive patient. After a facility fallout they escaped and fought or hid from Murkoff till they made it to a city where we picked them up after a raid.
They've shown massive leaps in therapy and helped us with tracking down the Murkoff queen. They were on board with this huge operation. With how they are, we helped them be more prepared for field duty, but we need someone for the inside, with technical capabilities like yours. A hacker basically, and don't worry about supplies.
We wont be sending you off with just a bagged lunch and a good luck card. We will thoroughly be training you with the team and getting you fully armored gear specially fitted for you and what ever else you ask for." James explained.
"do you think you'll come on board for this operation?" James asked.
"no." Waylon answered with no hesitation.
"wha, why not?!" James asked.
"do I have to do it?" Waylon asked.
"no, but are-" James started.
"then hell no." Waylon repeated more firmly, getting up from his seat. Completely done with the conversation.
"wont you think about it?! Please Waylon, this is extremely important! You cant just-." James spoke in urgency as he followed Waylon. Knocking into the wall of muscle known as Eddie who stepped between them.
"oh, uh, hi. Eddie, Gluskin, AH! PARK, SIR-!" James blurted nervously. Remembering too late that Eddie had a different, one he less hated, last name. After getting officially married, Eddie took Waylons last name. He never wanted his darling to have the stained name of his monstrous father.
This mistake only had Eddie grow more aggressive toward the shorter agent. Walking into him to force him back with a intense glare from his cold eyes.
"uh, Waylon. Waylon? Waylon?!" the agent shouted urgently as Eddie kept aggressively forcing him back. Finally grabbing him to literally throw him out the door into the dirt. Slamming the door shut with a huff.
"waylon, please think about this. We really need your help on this. Its a mater of national security at this point." James pleaded from outside as he got up. Waylon opening the door to face him from the entrance.
"why an issue of national security?" the words having peaked Waylons interest.
"its gotten far too big for the united states. You know how Murkoff had a facility in the arctic, how they have places in different country's. Well, some of those country's don't want to get rid of Murkoff. They make weapons for them. More advanced then what our military finding. … we believe Murkoff is making newer and bigger facility in those protective country's. We have to move now and cut off the head of this or its going to be impossible." James spoke seriously.
"... why cant you just destroy the facility like all the others?" Waylon asked.
"country's wont let us. They'll take it as an invasion and get a WW3 on our hands." James answered.
"so technically, the small team I would be in, would be invading a country?" Waylon asked.
"in a way … there's a small up coming window. The remaining Murkoff owner is going to a facility in south America. I cant say the details on where out here. Our leak says this is the last facility on this side of the earth. If we don't catch her then. Then things are going to get worse and we wont have another free pass like this again.
You have a week to decide. After that you wont be able to get on board. … this is getting bigger then a lot of us Waylon, and id think about your sons future if I was you." James spoke, wiping a bit of dirt off before heading back to the armored vehicle.
Waylon watched him leave down the road before slowly closing to lock the door. Letting out a nervous breath of air he hadn't realized he was holding.
"you okay?" Eddie asked, concerned.
"yeah, just stressed." Waylon answered.
"Are you really thinking of going to face Murkoff again?" Eddie asked.
"... maybe. We've already taken most of them out. Might as well finish what we started so long ago." Waylon breathed.
FBI DOCUMENT (for records only)
OPERATION ARCH ANGELS IS IN EFFECT.
authour notes:
thats the end. there will be a sequel ... eventually. XD
there is a fancy FBI doc on my DA (reddog-f6) that goes into slightly nicer detail.